1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to windrow shaping apparatus for forage.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Forage, such as grass, alfalfa, rye grass, timothy, and fescue, and the like is raked into windrows for baling. In windrows, the cut forage is allowed to dry to prevent mildew, mold, and rot and therefore a deterioration of the forage both as to appearance and as to food value. To hasten drying, windrows are often turned to expose more of the forage to the sun and to permit greater air circulation. Compaction of the forage prevents drying and therefore it is important that forage in the windrow be compacted as little as possible.
In various parts of the country, tonnage of forage will exceed three to three and one-half tons per acre. In such areas of dense growth, when windrows are brought together for purposes of baling, the forage becomes unmanageable and will not enter the hay baler, going over both the ends and top of the pickup reel of the baler. Where windrows are too wide or too tall, the baler must make another sweep resulting in excessive costs due to baler travel and time expended.
Known devices which shape or might be used to shape windrows include those disclosed by Blumhardt, U.S. Pat. No. 3,731,468; M.E. Wood, U.S. Pat. No. 3,136,108; and a German patent numbered 261,497. Blumhardt discloses swath treating apparatus having a roller provided with a pair of frusto-conical sections, the apparatus being attached to a swather by chains. The swath treating apparatus of Blumhardt is for grain, as opposed to forage, and is used to move heads of grain close to the center of the windrow so as to shed rain and to firm the windrow to prevent blowing. By its design, the Blumhardt device requires compaction to the bottom of the roller in that both frusto-conical sections are in opposition to compact the material between them. The Blumhardt device is also unusable for forage in that the solid cones, having a large surface area, cause the damp forage to adhere to the cones causing matting of the forage onto the roller rendering it inoperable. The Blumhardt device also permits free upward movement of either side of the roller which, in effect, permits differing angles of contact between the drum and windrow. Wood discloses rollers quite similar to those of Blumhardt and would have the same compaction and adherence problems. The Belgium patent discloses a roller having slats disposed in a conical relationship for placement of grain.